Counseling Services

Counseling Services

Crisis Response: Faculty Counselors are trained to respond to students who might be in crisis while they are on campus. Counselors will be able to meet with the student, assess the situation and provide support. Counselors are familiar with the mental health resources in their community and make appropriate referrals as needed.

Personal Counseling: Personal counseling addresses issues such as the balance of school, work and home; difficulties in class; dealing with anxiety or depression; confronting prejudice or discrimination; relationship problems; identity confusion and uncertainty; managing grief, anger or shyness; coping with major life transitions; lack of confidence and assertiveness, time and stress management; and dealing with perfectionism and unrealistic expectations.

Consultation: At times, students, faculty or staff just want to discuss an issue or problem. While they may not be seeking counseling, they might be looking for a professional opinion, a referral or just a sounding board. This could be on a range of subjects, such as parenting and family support resources or questionable classroom behavior.

Academic Issues: Though Pierce College has many academic resources, students may benefit from one-on-one assistance with test-taking anxiety or other issues that are negatively impacting their academic progress. The Faculty Counselors do not make formal evaluations for learning disabilities, but they do have information for on- and off-campus resources and referrals.

Career Counseling: Faculty Counselors can help students explore their interests, skills and future goals. Career counseling involves students in an exploration of personal interests, motivations, personality style, values and abilities, and teaches the development of decision-making skills through the selection of career goals. Counselors instruct students about employment trends, specific career and job search skills, as well as select, administer and interpret standardized career assessment instruments. Counselors also facilitate connections with the Faculty Counselor Advisors (see Advising Center), who also provide career counseling.